Page 22 of Make Me Trust Again
He grumbles something under his breath, which earns him a scowl and an elbow in the gut from his sister.
Rebecca rolls her eyes at him and finally takes the plate from my hands. “Why don’t you come in, Rose? I brought Chase some sweet tea.”
“Oh, no, I don’t want to bother you guys.”
“It’s not a bother.”
Based on the look Chase is directing at his sister, it very much is a bother, so I shake my head. I was getting in his way enough as it was; I wasn’t about to intrude when he clearly didn’t want me here. “It’s fine. I have to stop by the real estate agency anyway before picking Kyle from Savannah’s.”
Surprise flashes on her face. “I didn’t realize you were looking for something.”
“Yes, it’s time for us to move into our own space.”
Rebecca nods in understanding. “Did you find anything? I remember it was a bitch for Sav to find something decent last year.”
“I, umm… I think so.” I shift my weight from one foot to the other. I can feel Chase’s gaze burning the side of my face. “Itneeds some work, but I don’t want to move out of Bluebonnet and have Kyle change schools now that he’s settled in.”
“That makes sense,” Rebecca nods. “Where is it? The market here is crazy.”
I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. “On Long Road Street. It’s relatively close to school, so that’s definitely a plu?—”
“You can’t live there.”
My head snaps up at the sharp tone in Chase’s voice.
I take a step back. “Excuse me?”
“Chase,” Rebecca hisses, her elbow connecting to his side in warning. “Seriously?”
“That place is falling apart.”
Rebecca lifts her brow. “And how would you know that?”
Chase grits his teeth. “Because I was recently there after a report of a wild dog rummaging around, so I saw it. The place is a shack that one strong wind will knock over. A freaking gutter almost fell on my head.”
He crosses his arms over his chest, those hazel eyes meet mine, giving me a pointed look that burns my skin as the memories of that day pop into my mind.
Chase’s long fingers gripping my waist. The warmth of his body as he pulled me to him. The feel of his strong muscles pressing against me as he pinned me to the ground, while the loud bang echoed in the air around us.
He stares at me, his piercing eyes burning my skin and making me flush.
So he didn’t want his sister to know what had happened that day, but he didn’t have a problem giving me his opinion on where I should and shouldn’t live?
Annoyed, my fingers curl into a fist by my side.
Yes, the place was far from perfect, but it was the only thing that I could afford for my son and me. I was determined to make it a home because there was no way I could stay at my parents’place much longer and listen to them go on and on about John and giving him another chance.
I lift my chin, calling back that confident, arrogant girl I was in high school. I didn’t like her. The more I looked back, the more I was ashamed of her, but if she could help me survive the scrutiny and whispers about my life, help me give my son the best life I can, I would stop at nothing, even being her again.
“Well, it’s a shack that I’m planning to make a home for my son and me. Besides, it’s not as bad as it looks. I’m sure with a little bit of love and work, it’ll look way better.”
At least that was the hope.
Michael, the real estate agent, showed me the place after Chase ran off. Yes, it was pretty beat up on the inside. The floors and windows were old, and I’m not sure when was the last time somebody painted the place. Besides, I was pretty sure whoever lived there before was a smoker because there was a stale smell that seemed to be engraved into the walls that even now made my nose wrinkle.
Rebecca tilts her head to the side. “Is that the old Merrick’s place?”
“That’s the one,” Chase grits, completely ignoring me. “You know I’m right. That place is a dump, and they shouldn’t even be renting it out. It’s not safe.”
